Written Answers Tuesday 7 June 2005

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of modern apprenticeship trainees have completed a skills test in each of the last three years.

Allan Wilson: This is an operational matter for the enterprise networks. The information is not held centrally.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the (a) numbers and (b) unemployment rates of claimants in each ward of Dundee City Council in the latest month for which figures are available, using claimant count as the basis for such calculations.

Mr Jim Wallace: Table 1 contains the claimant count unemployment number and claimant count unemployment rate for each ward of Dundee City Council in April 2005.

  Table 1: Claimant Count Unemployment Number and Rate1 for Wards2 in Dundee City Council, April 2005

  

 
Claimant Count
Claimant Count Rate


Wellgate
176
7.3%


Baxter Park
146
6.4%


Craigie Bank
65
3.4%


Craigie Barns
70
3.7%


West Ferry
57
2.9%


Broughty Ferry
33
1.7%


Balgillo
22
0.7%


Eastern
47
1.9%


Douglas
133
8.2%


Drumgeith
71
4.4%


Longhaugh
115
8.9%


Whitfield
75
3.9%


Fintry North
90
4.2%


Fintry South
126
5.1%


Caird
126
7.0%


Midmill
132
10.2%


Clepington
74
4.4%


Maryfield
165
7.1%


Coldside
161
9.1%


Hilltown
200
11.7%


Central
125
5.8%


Riverside
70
3.5%


Dudhope
171
9.4%


Logie
53
2.8%


Law
103
4.9%


Ancrum
40
1.7%


St Ninians
90
4.4%


Menzieshill
122
5.6%


Gourdie
113
7.5%


Pitalpin
84
3.9%


Lochee West
144
8.1%


Lochee East
84
5.5%


Rockwell
60
3.2%


Fairmuir
66
3.0%


Trottick
130
7.4%


Gillburn
92
4.1%


Downfield
60
2.1%


St Mary’s
104
5.4%


Ardler
55
3.9%


Blackshade
28
1.7%



  Source: Office for National Statistics.

  Notes:

  1. Rates for wards are calculated using the claimant count unemployment level as the numerator, and a measure of economically active residents as the denominator. 2. 1991 frozen wards.

European Union

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the Deputy First Minister’s discussion with the European Commissioner for Regional Policy, what level of funding it expects to be available to the west of Scotland for co-operation across maritime borders.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Commission’s proposals under the new Cooperation Objective have two key strands: transnational and cross-border co-operation. Under the transnational strand, Scotland currently participates in four programmes – the Atlantic Area, the North West Europe, the North Sea and the Northern Periphery Programmes – and the Executive is exploring with the Commission and the programme partners the scope for building on these programmes after 2006. At my meeting with Ms Hubner, I emphasised the importance of such programmes to Scotland.

  Originally, Scotland’s eligibility was thought to be limited to transnational. Eligibility criteria for cross-border – particularly with respect to maritime borders – appeared to rule out any Scottish regions. However, in discussing the issue with the Commissioner, it now appears that a Scotland–Ireland programme may be possible.

  However, the Commission’s allocation methodology is still not clear and any final settlement will depend on agreement on the EU budget deal as a whole.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the all clear signal, as announced on 19 May 2005, for infectious salmon anaemia in Loch Sheilavaig means that no further movement controls will be necessary.

Lewis Macdonald: Yes.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to prevent escapes of fish from fish farms.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive introduced legislation in May 2002 which requires the mandatory notification of all escapes of farmed fish. Any suspected escape, or circumstance which gives rise to a significant risk of escape, should also be reported to the Executive. This legislation also allows for recovery action to be considered and the deployment of measures, such as the use of gill nets, to protect local wild stocks.

  The Executive now requires site specific containment and contingency plans in support of all applications for fish farm sites to prevent escapes. All applications are also subject to public consultation.

  Under the Strategic Framework for Aquaculture, a containment working group, which includes representatives of the aquaculture industry and wild fish interests has been set up. This group is drafting improved containment guidance that will be included in the Industry Code of Best Practice, as a priority action. The industry code will be subject to public consultation. The containment working group will also be examining cage/equipment structure and design in greater detail this year.

Fisheries

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to assess the impact of escaped farmed fish on native fish populations.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive introduced legislation in May 2002 requiring fish farms to notify the Scottish Executive of any escape of fish or any incident that may have led to an escape.

  Fisheries Research Services have been monitoring the effects of escaped farmed salmon on wild populations since 1990. This work has included investigations into the genetic diversity within and among wild salmon stocks to help understand the actual impact that farm escapes will cause, and the initiation of a project to develop computer-based simulation models to assess the impacts under different escaped-wildfish interaction scenarios. There is on-going international co-operative research into the incidence of fish farm escapes in the UK and Ireland, and on their potential impact on wild stocks.

  Information on the numbers of fish farm escapes in Scotland is recorded in the annual salmon catch statistical returns.

Football

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an up-to-date progress report on the implementation of the action plan arising from the Youth Football Review.

Patricia Ferguson: A project implementation manager has been appointed and recruitment to fill the six regional manager posts is currently underway. Once in place, these regional managers will play a key part in helping establish the regional structures on which progress towards implementation of the Youth Action Plan is dependent.

  An implementation steering group has been set up to oversee the implementation of the plan. This group comprises representatives of the Executive, sportscotland, the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Women’s Football Association, the Scottish Schools Football Association, the Scottish Youth Football Association and North Lanarkshire Council. The Project Implementation Manager attends these meetings to report on progress. The ninth meeting of this group is scheduled to take place on 9 June.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15184 and S2W-16049 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 and 3 May 2005, what issues ministers are considering in relation to S2W-15184, given that it is simply a request for information as to which persons or bodies it has designated as Scottish public authorities under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a range of issues connected with the question asked in S2W-15184. These include issues of substance, process and timing.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-15187 and S2W-16048 by Ms Margaret Curran on 10 and 3 May 2005, what issues ministers are considering in relation to S2W-15187, given that it is simply a request for information as to which PPP/PFI operators it considers are providing a service that could be considered to be a function of a Scottish public authority, as defined in section 3 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a range of issues connected with the question asked in S2W-15187. These include issues of substance, process and timing.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken, or plans to take, to ensure that organisations which could be considered to be public authorities, and are created by new legislation, are designated as "Scottish Public Authorities" and included in Schedule 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: The case for any such organisation to be brought within Schedule 1 to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 is considered on its own merits.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-13635 by Mr Andy Kerr on 31 January 2005 and following the publication of Health in Scotland 2004 in March 2005 which states that there is an HAI surveillance project to monitor catheter-associated urinary tract infections, whether it is now possible to provide an answer to the question in respect of the number of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections and the rate of infection in each NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: Data on the number of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (UTI) and the rate of infection in each NHS board are not yet available, as the catheter-associated UTI surveillance programme is still under development.

  Data on healthcare-associated UTIs, however, will also be collected across Scotland as part of the national survey on the prevalence and burden of Healthcare Associated Infections that the Scottish Executive Health Department has commissioned Health Protection Scotland to conduct over the next two years.

Health

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to recent World Health Organisation warnings in respect of avian flu.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is aware of the recent World Health Organization (WHO) report on avian influenza which suggests that an Avian Flu virus, also known as H5N1 virus, may be evolving in ways that make it more infectious to humans.

  The situation in South East Asia continues to be closely monitored and the UK has provided funding to assist this monitoring.

  The UK is in the forefront of planning for an outbreak of pandemic flu, and Scotland has been working closely with health departments across the UK to put preparations in place. As a result, a newly updated UK Health Department’s UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan, taking account of the latest available information, was published on 1 March 2005. A version reflecting organisational arrangements in Scotland was published on the Scottish Executive website at the same time. The Department of Health, on behalf of the UK has also been working with international bodies, including the World Health Organization.

  The World Health Organization have described the UK Influenza Pandemic Contingency Plan as a high quality plan, which shows that the UK continues to be at the forefront of preparations internationally for pandemic influenza. The World Health Organization hopes that every country will develop their preparations to same high degree.

Health

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16560 by Mr Andy Kerr on 25 May 2005, what specific health services were provided at the welfare and education building in John Street, Glasgow, (a) prior to and (b) after the late 1970s.

Mr Andy Kerr: Clinical facilities, the district nurse service, the schools doctor service, a blind clinic, travel clinic and a TB control X-ray service were housed in the building between 1974 and 1981. Occupational Health Services were also housed in the building at this time and remained there until March 2001.

Health

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16560 by Mr Andy Kerr on 25 May 2005, where health records for patients treated at the welfare and education building in John Street, Glasgow, prior to the late 1970s are held, given that the building is no longer a headquarters of Occupational Health Services.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS clinical records have been retained by NHS Greater Glasgow in line with national guidance. When Glasgow City Council ended its contract with the NHS for the provision of occupational health care in March 2001, the NHS transferred records relating to existing Glasgow City Council employees to the new occupational health contractor, BUPA.

Judicial Appointments

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring of the activity of individual sheriff courts is currently being undertaken by the Judicial Appointments Board and what monitoring has taken place since the board’s inception.

Cathy Jamieson: Monitoring the activity of individual sheriff courts does not lie within the remit of the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

Justice

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether letters to the Lord Advocate regarding matters relating to fingerprinting are routinely copied to officers in the Scottish Criminal Record Office and, if so, what guidelines there are in respect of their confidentiality at all stages of the process.

Colin Boyd QC: I refer the member to the answers to questions S2W-16930, S2W-16931 and S2W-16932 on 7 June 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  It is impossible to generalise on the procedures followed upon receipt of correspondence addressed to me. This will always depend on the content of the correspondence itself and the particular circumstances to which it relates.

Justice

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom it copied a letter from solicitors acting for Peter Swann to the Lord Advocate on 28 April 2005 regarding matters pertaining to the wrongful identification of fingerprints.

Colin Boyd QC: The letter referred to was not copied to anyone outwith the Scottish Executive. I understand that the author of the letter was responsible for its public release and circulation.

Justice

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it publicly released a letter from solicitors acting for Peter Swann to the Lord Advocate on 28 April 2005 regarding matters pertaining to the wrongful identification of fingerprints and, if not, whether it will institute an inquiry into the leak of the contents of that letter and report the outcome of that inquiry to the Parliament.

Colin Boyd QC: The Scottish Executive did not publicly release the letter referred to. I understand that the author of the letter is responsible for its release. There is therefore no basis for an inquiry into this matter.

Justice

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what reply it has made, or will make, to a letter from solicitors acting for Peter Swann to the Lord Advocate on 28 April 2005 regarding matters pertaining to the wrongful identification of fingerprints.

Colin Boyd QC: The Office of the Solicitor to the Scottish Executive replied to the letter referred to on 24 May 2005. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 36715). A separate response is to be sent by Crown Office officials and this will also be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Marine Protection

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency regarding ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth planned by Melbourne Marine Services of Sunderland.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it opposes the planned ship-to-ship oil transfer in the Firth of Forth planned by Melbourne Marine Services of Sunderland.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned about the level of risk and the possibility of damage to environmental and economic interests, such as coastal tourism and fishing, as a result of the ship-to-ship oil transfer on the Firth of Forth planned by Melbourne Marine Services of Sunderland.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) on a number of shipping related issues, including the proposed arrangements for ship to ship oil transfer, on which my department has responded as a statutory consultee. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is also a statutory consultee, and I understand SNH has highlighted the particular environmental sensitivities in the proposed transfer area. I would expect the MCA to take this advice into account when considering whether to recommend to the Secretary of State for Transport that he grant the relevant approvals for which he has reserved responsibility.

Medical Students

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the destinations were of graduates from each medical school in (a) 2003 and (b) 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following tables confirm the destinations of graduates from each medical school in Scotland in 2003 and 2004. The tables show where the first appointments as a pre-registration house officer (PRHO) occurred. The destinations of St Andrews students are not shown on this table as they do not graduate in medicine in Scotland. Each year, after a three-year pre-clinical course leading to a BSc, around 100 of these students move to complete a three year clinical course at Manchester University. As graduates of Manchester University their destinations are ordinarily within the NHS in England.

  Table 1 - Destination of 2003 Graduates as at 30 September 2003

  

Destination of PRHO* Post
Aberdeen School
Dundee School
Edinburgh School
Glasgow School
All Schools


Scotland
173
136
164
248
721


England and Wales
7
23
9
9
48


Northern Ireland
1
2
0
3
6


HM Forces
1
0
0
0
1


Abroad
2
1
0
0
3


Not known
1
1
1
3
6


Other (i.e. posts not taken up)
0
0
3
0
3


Total
185
163
177
263
788



  Table 2 – Destination of 2004 Graduates as at 30 September 2004

  

Destination of PRHO* Post
Aberdeen School
Dundee School
Edinburgh School
Glasgow School
All Schools


Scotland
142
112
198
192
644


England and Wales
13
21
17
6
57


Northern Ireland
3
1
2
 3
9


HM Forces
0
0
0
 1
 1


Abroad
2
2
 3
 2
 9


Not known
0
1
0
 3
4


Other (i.e. posts not taken up)
1(taking Master’s degree)
1(not applying for registration)
1 (taking 6 months leave)
 0
3


Total
161
138
221
207
727



  Note:*Pre- Registration House Officer.

Mental Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16378 by Mr Andy Kerr on 18 May 2005, whether the proposed facilities for acute psychiatric patients will be of the same standard as those previously proposed by the management of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Mr Andy Kerr: Meeting the clinical needs of all patients in Lothian is the responsibility of Lothian NHS Board. The new Royal Edinburgh Hospital will provide acute in-patient facilities for patients from Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. This will include modern, purpose-designed, smaller wards, and an intensive psychiatric care unit to treat those who are most unwell. Such facilities are not currently available locally to patients from East Lothian and Midlothian.

  Service users and carers are involved in the planning process to ensure that standards of accommodation meet users’ needs.

Mental Health

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16378 by Mr Andy Kerr on 18 May 2005, when the building of the new facilities for acute psychiatric patients will be completed.

Mr Andy Kerr: I understand from NHS Lothian that the new Royal Edinburgh Hospital, which will provide acute psychiatric in-patient facilities for patients from Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian, is planned to open in 2009-10.

Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 will be fully implemented in the current NHS Argyll and Clyde area by October 2005.

Rhona Brankin: NHS Argyll and Clyde is working hard with its partners to deliver the new provisions required under the act within the timetable. My officials last met with the board and its partners on 24 May as part of an on-going series of meetings with all areas to discuss progress. In common with other areas, there are both issues requiring attention and other aspects where good progress is being made.

  Our national review of progress will continue up to and beyond the October implementation date.

NHS 24

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to NHS 24 since its inception.

Mr Andy Kerr: NHS 24 has been allocated £166.384 million revenue funds and £13.151 million capital funds since its inception in 2001-02.

NHS 24

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls NHS 24 has received since its inception and how many of these calls were returned.

Mr Andy Kerr: The number of calls answered by NHS 24 since its launch on 8 May 2002 to date is 2,297,934.

  From mid-2003 to date (the period for which this information is available), the number of calls managed via call back procedures is 406,107.

NHS 24

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review team of NHS 24 is studying complaints made about the service and what efforts it has made to make contact with those who have expressed dissatisfaction with the service.

Mr Andy Kerr: Some members of the public have made complaints to the NHS 24 review team about experiences they have had with the services provided by NHS 24 and these comments have been considered by the team during its preparation of the interim report. However, if someone has a complaint about NHS 24’s services and they wish it to be investigated, they should continue to write to the patient/customer relations manager at NHS 24.

  Some members of the public have also written to the review team in support of NHS 24 praising what was for them a positive patient care experience.

  Over the course of the next few months, the review team will be meeting with some patient representative groups to discuss their experiences of NHS 24 and to identify ways in which the service could be improved.

NHS Equipment

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15533 by Mr Andy Kerr on 14 April 2005, what the average working life is of a PET scanner.

Mr Andy Kerr: The replacement of medical equipment is a matter for NHS boards. NHS boards are given an annual capital allocation and it is for them to determine, based on their local knowledge and taking into account other local and national priorities, how these resources should be deployed.

NHS Funding

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what per capita health spending was in each NHS board in 2004-05 and what it will be in 2005-06.

Mr Andy Kerr: Details of per capita funding for 2004-05 are as follows:

  

NHS Board
2004-05
Per Capita
(£)


Argyll and Clyde
1,374


Ayrshire and Arran
1,383


Borders
1,330


Dumfries and Galloway
1,344


Fife
1,229


Forth Valley
1,235


Grampian
1,196


Greater Glasgow
1,507


Highland
1,454


Lanarkshire
1,252


Lothian
1,199


Orkney
1,579


Shetland
1,629


Tayside
1,421


Western Isles
2,076



  The per capita funding for 2004-05 is based on final allocations made to each NHS board. Details of expenditure by each NHS board are not yet available. Final per capita funding for 2005-06 is not yet available.

NHS Funding

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the General Medical Services budget will be in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The budget for General Medical Services (GMS) for 2006-07 and 2007-08 has not been set at this stage. This is subject to the review of the GMS Contract which is currently on-going.

NHS Funding

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what review of the financial resources made available to NHS boards it intends to undertake as result of the Kerr report.

Mr Andy Kerr: I welcomed the vision outlined in the Kerr report in my statement to Parliament on 25 May 2005. In the short-term, NHS boards will prioritise action to support Kerr report recommendations from within their existing record budgets. The Executive response to the Kerr report will guide future decisions on the allocation of financial resources to boards, such as those to be taken in SR 2006.

NHS Hospitals

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the hospital information system in use at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh cost and what level of funding for that system came from the Executive.

Mr Andy Kerr: The cost of hospital information systems used in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is a matter for Lothian Health Board. The information requested is not held centrally. No funding has been allocated from the Executive.

NHS Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many working days have been lost due to (a) sickness and (b) absenteeism in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Andy Kerr: National Services Scotland publishes annual data on the percentage of available hours lost to sickness absence in the NHS in Scotland. The following table shows these percentage figures from 2000-01 (the earliest year for which data is available) to 2003-04.

  Percentage of Total Available Hours Lost to Sickness Absence

  

Type of Organisation
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04


Scotland
4.81
5.24
4.64
5.25



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Data on time lost to absenteeism in the NHS is not held centrally.

  Absenteeism is very difficult to record on a consistent and rigorous basis as it can be extremely difficult to discriminate between absenteeism and other reasons for absence. The Managing Health at Work PIN guidelines recommend that employers adopt trigger points for reporting absence linked to: Frequent short-term sickness absence; absence that is not satisfactorily explained; absence linked to certain shift patterns, and absence linked to certain days or times.

NHS Staff

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) speech and language therapist and (b) physiotherapist vacancies there have been in each NHS board area in each of the last three years, expressed also as a percentage of established posts in each area and nationally.

Mr Andy Kerr: Information on staff in post and vacancies in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce .

  Section F gives vacancy information for Allied Health Professionals employed in NHS Scotland. In particular, table F8 shows the whole-time equivalent (WTE) and the total vacancies shown as a percentage of the establishment, broken down by specialty and NHS board area for years 2000 to 2004. WTE adjusts headcount staff figures to take account of part-time staff. Latest available figures are at 30 September 2004.

NHS Waiting Times

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in cardiothoratic surgery in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute ear, nose and throat procedures in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in gynaecology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in neurosurgery in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in ophthalmology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in orthopaedics in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in plastic surgery in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in surgical paediatrics in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in urology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute medical procedures in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in cardiology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in communicable diseases in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in dermatology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in endocrinology and diabetes in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in gastroenterology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in genito/urinary medicine in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in haematology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in medical oncology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in medical paediatrics in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in nephrology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in palliative medicine in each since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in respiratory medicine in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in rheumatology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in dental/oral surgery in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in geriatric medicine in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times were for patients requiring acute procedures in clinical oncology in each year since 2000-01 in (a) NHS Fife, (b) NHS Forth Valley and (c) NHS Tayside.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is incorporated in the following table. The summary measure used is the median, whereby 50% of patients had waited a shorter time and 50% a longer time. This is more appropriate than using the average which could be distorted by a small number of very long waits.

  It should be noted that patients who are excluded from the guarantee are included in the calculation of the median as it is not currently possible to exclude all these patients from a retrospective analysis and their inclusion will increase the median. Reasons why patients may lose their guarantee include the following: failing to attend; cancelling a previously agreed appointment; being medically unfit for treatment; being socially unavailable for treatment or where the planned treatment is judged to be of low clinical priority or very highly specialised.

  

Area of Residence
Specialty
Median Wait (Days)


2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Fife
All Acute Medical Specialties
22
16
17
22
22


Cardiology
14
15
16
21
20


Cardiothoracic Surgery
48
27
22
25
30


Clinical Oncology
13
13
9
8
13


Dermatology
x
x
x
x
x


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
96
43
54
50
65


Endocrinology and Diabetes
x
x
x
x
x


Gastroenterology
32
25
32
33
32


Geriatric Medicine
5*
1*
x
1*
1*


Gynaecology
47
36
32
43
42


Haematology
1
1
1
3
3


Infectious Diseases
x
x
x
x
1*


Medical Oncology
13
7
9
10
10


Neurosurgery
30
36
38
37
38


Ophthalmology
107
106
89
85
76


Oral Surgery
61
60
66
84
70


Paediatric Surgery
103
95
87
106
90


Paediatrics
1
1
1
1
1


Palliative Medicine
x
1*
1*
1*
1*


Plastic Surgery
104
69
103
86
76


Renal Medicine
21
8
10
6
6*


Respiratory Medicine
2
5
4
6
6


Rheumatology
1*
1*
x
x
1*


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
89
84
81
96
148


Urology
51
44
55
56
57


Forth Valley
All Acute Medical Specialties
14
15
14
15
11


Cardiology
14
15
14
26
22


Cardiothoracic Surgery
42
32
25
30
44


Clinical Oncology
x
x
8*
9
10


Dermatology
x
x
x
x
x


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
23
27
39
45
46


Endocrinology and Diabetes
x
18*
19*
21*
11*


Gastroenterology
33
31
30
31
41


Geriatric Medicine
7
1
1
x
x


Gynaecology
26
27
26
30
46


Haematology
7
7
5
7
3


Infectious Diseases
x
1*
x
x
x


Medical Oncology
x
21*
12*
10
6


Neurosurgery
22
43
40
36
41


Ophthalmology
91
91
128
139
148


Oral Surgery
53
34
41
46
65


Paediatric Surgery
74
72
72
89
75


Paediatrics
2
7*
4*
3
2*


Plastic Surgery
28
22
39
56
51


Renal Medicine
14
15
8
8
7


Respiratory Medicine
17*
15
16*
21*
16*


Rheumatology
7
8
4
10
9


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
121
117
135
171
174


Urology
40
42
32
42
44


Tayside
All Acute Medical Specialties
27
27
33
35
32


Cardiology
31
28
34
31
32


Cardiothoracic Surgery
43
25
45
40
45


Clinical Oncology
14
17
12
11
13


Dermatology
25*
26*
22*
24*
31*


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
70
62
52
47
61


Endocrinology and Diabetes
x
x
x
x
x


Gastroenterology
34
33
40
43
37


Geriatric Medicine
x
x
x
7*
7*


Gynaecology
26
19
21
21
15


Haematology
3
2
2
1
1


Infectious Diseases
12*
x
x
x
x


Medical Oncology
13
13*
11*
10*
17*


Neurosurgery
42
38
31
29
43


Ophthalmology
66
81
79
100
97


Oral Surgery
10
14
20
19
13


Paediatric Surgery
76
104
126
89
51


Paediatrics
16
16
20
21
31


Palliative Medicine
x
x
x
x
x


Plastic Surgery
63
50
55
69
92


Renal Medicine
14*
14
20
14
21


Respiratory Medicine
10
6
14
12
7


Rheumatology
x
x
x
x
x


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
71
76
90
97
103


Urology
44
40
41
40
42



  Notes:

  1. Figures denoted by an "x" are not shown as the number of discharge records is very small (less than 15) and the presentation of the median is potentially misleading. 2. Figures appended with an "*" should be treated with caution as they are derived from a possible unrepresentatively small number of discharges (greater than 14 but less than 50).

  Background Information:

  In-patient/day case waiting times are derived from the Scottish In-patient and Day Case Record (SMR01). The SMR01 collects information on each discharge from in-patient / day case care.

  Only acute specialties (those specialties primarily concerned in the surgical, medical and dental sectors) are included in SMR01 returns.

  Due to the transactional nature of central databases, i.e., records are continually being added, information relating to the most recent period should be regarded as provisional and could be subject to minor future change.

  The in-patient/day case information in the table is based on a subset of SMR01 records. This subset incorporates only those patients who were routinely admitted from the waiting list from home. This subset includes patients who are excluded from the guarantee (e.g. patients who are unavailable for treatment). It is not currently possible to exclude these records from analysis of in-patient/day case waiting times. The waiting time is defined as the difference in days from the date the decision was made that the patient should be admitted (the "waiting list date") to the actual date of admission.

  Acute medical specialties have been defined as cardiology, clinical chemistry, clinical genetics, communicable diseases, dermatology, endocrinology and diabetes, gastroenterology, general medicine, genito-urinary medicine, haematology, homoeopathy, medical oncology, medical paediatrics, nephrology, neurology, occupational health, palliative medicine, rehabilitation medicine, respiratory medicine and rheumatology.

  Data for Glasgow Dental Hospital and School have been excluded due to system errors in the derivation of waiting times. ISD is working with GDH to correct these data.

  An analogous table incorporating the total number of discharges on which the above table is based and the statistical medians is shown in the table. Also included are comparative figures or NHSScotland.

  

HBR
SPEC
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05


Area of Residence
Specialty
Discharges
Median Wait (days)
Discharges
Median Wait (days)
Discharges
Median Wait (days)
Discharges
Median Wait (days)
Discharges
Median Wait (days)


NHSScotland
All Acute Medical Specialties
78,703
24
71,492
22
70,276
21
70,420
25
60,700
25


Cardiology
11,345
30
11,210
33
12,360
32
13,124
38
12,410
41


Cardiothoracic Surgery
4,921
31
4,636
26
4,898
21
4,917
28
4,251
31


Clinical Oncology
1,452
8
1,186
7
1,730
7
3,293
6
3,202
6


Dermatology
2,066
29
1,148
28
710
37
707
35
451
37


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
23,625
42
21,657
41
22,604
46
23,571
51
20,799
55


Endocrinology and Diabetes
421
15
750
21
675
32
580
33
533
30


Gastroenterology
24,634
33
18,850
33
16,306
34
19,285
36
16,546
36


Genito-Urinary Medicine
2
3
11
7
1
2
0
 
0
 


Geriatric Medicine
478
5
454
3
466
2
319
5
234
5


Gynaecology
43,040
23
40,570
20
39,424
20
40,220
24
31,586
26


Haematology
3,643
7
3,668
7
4,293
8
4,375
6
4,199
3


Infectious Diseases
350
3
808
3
363
2
170
4
122
1


Medical Oncology
1,343
9
1,861
7
2,002
7
2,159
6
1,864
6


Neurosurgery
2,479
28
2,210
36
2,515
36
2,879
37
2,228
41


Ophthalmology
26,903
85
27,328
91
25,342
81
29,396
111
25,783
107


Oral Surgery
12,510
26
11,761
25
9,420
35
9,273
48
7,154
53


Paediatric Surgery
4,960
78
4,578
72
4,456
63
4,758
85
3,835
86


Paediatrics
1,997
7
1,918
7
2,363
7
2,576
9
2,038
11


Palliative Medicine
30
1
41
1
33
1
86
1
71
1


Plastic Surgery
15,343
32
13,840
28
11,728
35
12,599
46
11,148
43


Renal Medicine
1,046
10
1,073
9
1,206
7
1,076
8
855
8


Respiratory Medicine
3,102
7
3,403
7
3,883
7
3,726
8
3,266
7


Rheumatology
1,439
7
1,597
8
1,946
8
1,921
8
2,894
7


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
32,767
76
31,010
78
31,000
92
36,640
108
32,251
124


Urology
38,290
37
33,112
39
28,906
41
33,659
49
24,652
46


Fife
All Acute Medical Specialties
6,023
22
5,768
16
5,799
17
5,640
22
5,016
22


Cardiology
713
14
701
15
852
16
750
21
770
20


Cardiothoracic Surgery
301
48
264
27
280
22
264
25
211
30


Clinical Oncology
187
13
167
13
140
9
140
8
94
13


Dermatology
9
6
10
11
6
0
4
2
4
5


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
1,812
96
1,297
43
1,487
54
1,320
50
1,522
65


Endocrinology and Diabetes
13
21
9
19
6
19
1
56
1
13


Gastroenterology
3,631
32
3,227
25
3,116
32
3,335
33
3,010
32


Geriatric Medicine
33
5
21
1
9
1
19
1
16
1


Gynaecology
2,863
47
2,540
36
2,569
32
2,613
43
2,143
42


Haematology
222
1
270
1
265
1
304
3
253
3


Infectious Diseases
5
14
4
1
4
1
5
11
16
1


Medical Oncology
63
13
88
7
111
9
108
10
89
10


Neurosurgery
202
30
213
36
292
38
288
37
231
38


Ophthalmology
1,627
107
1,725
106
1,766
89
2,156
85
1,795
76


Oral Surgery
1,501
61
1,464
60
1,366
66
1,568
84
1,258
70


Paediatric Surgery
326
103
259
95
242
87
343
106
247
90


Paediatrics
129
1
161
1
223
1
238
1
267
1


Palliative Medicine
11
1
18
1
19
1
35
1
34
1


Plastic Surgery
1,038
104
742
69
709
103
873
86
761
76


Renal Medicine
75
21
128
8
64
10
120
6
46
6


Respiratory Medicine
387
2
417
5
418
4
344
6
264
6


Rheumatology
21
1
20
1
13
1
11
2
19
1


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
3,020
89
2,917
84
2,899
81
3,272
96
2,433
148


Urology
3,038
51
2,854
44
1,944
55
2,267
56
1,248
57


Forth Valley
All Acute Medical Specialties
4,087
14
4,260
15
4,360
14
1,478
15
1,158
11


Cardiology
741
14
656
15
722
14
513
26
396
22


Cardiothoracic Surgery
237
42
209
32
206
25
153
30
151
44


Clinical Oncology
10
6
7
21
37
8
172
9
184
10


Dermatology
4
3
3
29
5
7
11
54
6
18


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
1,212
23
998
27
1,108
39
1,229
45
1,115
46


Endocrinology and Diabetes
13
9
19
18
23
19
16
21
15
11


Gastroenterology
188
33
156
31
75
30
91
31
87
41


Geriatric Medicine
160
7
117
1
152
1
8
4
2
19


Gynaecology
2,505
26
2,349
27
2,085
26
1,851
30
1,566
46


Haematology
241
7
225
7
255
5
216
7
131
3


Infectious Diseases
3
1
18
1
1
1
0
 
0
 


Medical Oncology
13
21
23
21
27
12
74
10
90
6


Neurosurgery
90
22
107
43
129
40
149
36
118
41


Ophthalmology
1,388
91
1,508
91
1,474
128
1,835
139
1,650
148


Oral Surgery
778
53
711
34
682
41
744
46
540
65


Paediatric Surgery
99
74
110
72
133
72
109
89
93
75


Paediatrics
55
2
34
7
45
4
57
3
45
2


Plastic Surgery
348
28
363
22
382
39
380
56
298
51


Renal Medicine
64
14
76
15
101
8
83
8
58
7


Respiratory Medicine
43
17
50
15
36
16
43
21
37
16


Rheumatology
316
7
308
8
334
4
185
10
180
9


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
1,950
121
1,759
117
1,789
135
2,039
171
1,621
174


Urology
2,226
40
2,649
42
2,299
32
2,446
42
1,873
44


Tayside
All Acute Medical Specialties
6,240
27
5,219
27
5,135
33
5,871
35
4,178
32


Cardiology
948
31
923
28
878
34
1,104
31
986
32


Cardiothoracic Surgery
352
43
281
25
262
45
320
40
285
45


Clinical Oncology
233
14
109
17
122
12
108
11
142
13


Dermatology
24
25
15
26
33
22
18
24
18
31


Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
1,551
70
1,437
62
1,416
52
1,446
47
1,423
61


Endocrinology and Diabetes
0
 
1
26
1
33
0
 
1
77


Gastroenterology
2,091
34
1,724
33
1,518
40
2,106
43
1,769
37


Geriatric Medicine
0
 
2
9
11
4
20
7
27
7


Gynaecology
3,240
26
2,754
19
2,810
21
3,118
21
2,102
15


Haematology
78
3
74
2
118
2
68
1
58
1


Infectious Diseases
30
12
7
139
2
24
1
4
1
6


Medical Oncology
121
13
33
13
40
11
35
10
42
17


Neurosurgery
301
42
280
38
297
31
329
29
333
43


Ophthalmology
3,134
66
2,567
81
2,618
79
2,896
100
2,946
97


Oral Surgery
1406
10
1,250
14
1,190
20
1,071
19
711
13


Paediatric Surgery
438
76
448
104
452
126
479
89
294
51


Paediatrics
110
16
82
16
90
20
96
21
107
31


Palliative Medicine
0
 
0
 
0
 
0
 
1
28


Plastic Surgery
2,361
63
1,709
50
795
55
941
69
842
92


Renal Medicine
25
14
54
14
54
20
66
14
53
21


Respiratory Medicine
210
10
225
6
242
14
235
12
169
7


Rheumatology
8
7
2
17
2
14
6
13
7
14


Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
3,137
71
2,815
76
2,668
90
3,192
97
2,374
103


Urology
3,501
44
1,686
40
1,581
41
1,650
40
1,228
42

Nuclear Power

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether planning permission would be required to build a new nuclear power station on the site of a former nuclear power station.

Allan Wilson: The construction of a nuclear power station with a capacity in excess of 50 MW, whether or not on the site of a former nuclear power station, would require a consent under s.36 of The Electricity Act 1989. The consent application process involves wide consultation, including with relevant local authorities. In the event of such a consent being granted, ministers would exercise their powers under the act to deem planning permission. However, as set out in the partnership agreement, the Executive will not consent any new nuclear power station while radioactive waste management issues remain unresolved.

Planning

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will examine the feasibility of incentives in the planning system, such as fee reduction or accelerated processing, to encourage developers to meet higher energy efficiency standards and whether such measures will form part of the proposed Planning Bill.

Johann Lamont: The feasibility of incentives to encourage developers to meet higher energy efficiency standards will be examined in a research project to be commissioned as part of the Executive’s review of the Scottish Climate Change Programme. We will await the outcome of the research before considering any measures.

Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2005

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the number of tourism businesses that will be affected by the draft Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2005 when enacted.

Lewis Macdonald: The partial Regulatory Impact Assessment which was included in the consultation on the draft regulations considered the costs to individuals and businesses of complying with the quality standards set by the Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) and concluded that these were outweighed by the benefits of having fewer failing supplies, with their consequent health effects. Data on the total number of tourism or other businesses with private water supplies are not available.

Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2005

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the costs of the Private Water Supplies Grant Scheme should it be introduced in the form suggested in the current consultation document on the draft Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2005.

Lewis Macdonald: The full costs of the Private Water Supplies Grant Scheme will depend on several factors, including the number of supplies identified through the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations as requiring improvement, take-up rates, and associated administration costs incurred by local authorities. A budget of up to £8 million a year has been identified for each of the years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Roads

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a route improvement study on the A9 between Perth and Blair Atholl.

Nicol Stephen: A consultant has been appointed to take forward a study of potential route improvements between Perth and Blair Atholl. The consultants report is expected to be published in the spring of next year.

Scottish Enterprise

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scottish Enterprise should be willing to assist Scottish IT companies which operate an open source business model and whether it has issued any guidance to Scottish Enterprise in relation to this matter.

Nicol Stephen: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of visitors to Scotland who arrive via a port in north-east England.

Patricia Ferguson: In 2003, the number of visitors who came to Scotland via a port in the north-east of England was estimated from survey data to be in the region of 98,000. This comprised 11,000 visitors passing through Newcastle Airport and 87,000 arriving through a sea port on the north-east coast of England.

Traffic

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a series of interim targets towards the 2021 traffic stabilisation goal in order to provide a realistic route map towards reducing emissions from this sector.

Nicol Stephen: We are seriously considering interim targets towards the 2021 traffic stabilisation goal. We will continue to do so during the development of the National Transport Strategy and will be clearer about whether interim targets are sensible and appropriate once the strategy has been finalised in the first half of 2006.

Traffic

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to evaluate the impact that major road infrastructure investments will have on greenhouse gas emissions and on its target of stabilising road traffic by 2021.

Nicol Stephen: An Environmental Statement is published for each major road scheme in Scotland. The statement includes an assessment of local and regional air quality which covers greenhouse gas emissions. Further, the transport modelling undertaken for each major road scheme analyses and predicts the potential changes in vehicle mileage.

Young People

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gives to youth clubs and youth projects in West Lothian.

Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive provides a range of funding to West Lothian that may be used for youth clubs and youth projects. In 2005-06, West Lothian Council receive £3,788,000 through Grant Aided Expenditure for Community Education (including youth work) and £151,000, through the Local Action Fund, for diversionary activities for young people. Further funding, including the Changing Children’s Services Fund, the Community Regeneration Fund and the Quality of Life Fund, may also be used for youth clubs and youth projects.